Belt buckle



NOV. 14, 1950 A, BIERY 2,529,906

BELT BUCKLE` Filed Jan. 13, 1948 IMM@ Arf/wr B/'ery I,

INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 14, 1950 BELT BUCKLE Arthurieryyline Island, Minn'., assignor offene- Vhalfto;` Lawrence W. Thomforde, Pine,y Island,

Minn.

Application January 13, 1948; Serial No. 1,960

' .2 Glaims. l

ThisV inventionfrelates to new and useful improvements in belt buckles and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a belt buckle lincluding novel and improved means for anchoring the ends of a belt to the same' in order to permit limited movement .of .oneattached end of the beltrelative to the said'buckle.

Another important objectof the present invention4 is to provide-a belt buck-1e includinga guide track and novelandimproved means slidably carried by the guide track for loc-kably engagingfoneof a plurality V"of longitudinally.4 spaced openings providedin thefree end-of a belt.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a resilient connection betweena` belt 'andV buckle so designed'as to-permit slight increase of the circumference of the circular area defined by the belt being worn, so that the same will comfortably embrace the Waist of a wearer.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a belt buckle that is simple and practical in construction, small and compact in structure, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a, fragmentary perspective view of a belt and showing the present buckle applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the present buckle attached to one end of a belt;

Figure 3 is view similar to Figure 2 and with parts broken away and shown in section;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 4 4 of Figure 3; and,

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken substantially on the plane of section line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral I0 represents an attaching arm that is fixedly secured to a sleeve I2 at One end I4 of a suitable belt IB. Integrally formed with the terminals of said arm I0, are the spaced parallel leg portions I8 and 20 of a substantially U-shaped yoke which is designated generally by the numeral 22.

(CL 2li- 163) Rigidly'securedtoathe y'ke 22, are the leg portions `24 ofa substantiallyu U'shapedv retaining memberl 26 ywhose web-.portion is spaced parallel to theweb portion 2li` of'theyoke 22, to define a: guide opening BDJthat slidablyfengages the free end;32 of vthe'belti |61 Secured by welding or'the. lliketothe,A opposing inner peripheries of the attaching arm `101 `and theweb portion'28 of the yoke y2.2 is preferably ai tubular guidetrack 3ft-that `slifclably engages the longer leg 330i a substantially L-shaped slidable lock member 38.."lI`heg shorter legl 4D of this locking member V381* iszslidably positioned; in a longitudinal guideislot 42 provided-,in said guide track34; f

Frictionally positioned inft'he guide 'track::34', is a coil spring 44 that loosely embraces the longer leg 36 of the member 38 and which is biased between the web portion 28 of the yoke 22 and an annular shoulder 46 on the leg 3B, for normally urging the shorter leg 40 of member 38 into frictional engagement with the attaching arm l0.

It should be noted that the shorter leg 40 of the slidable member 38 is substantially frusto-conical and ,that the same is formed with an out- Wardly projecting retaining lip or flange 48.

In practical use of the device, a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 58 are provided in the free end 32 of the belt I6. The free end 32 is then slipped into the guide opening 30, so that a selected opening is engaged with the shorter leg 48 of the member 38 with the retaining lip 48 overlying the outer face of the belt to prevent disengagement of the free end 32 of the belt with the shorter leg 40.

Obviously, should the person wearing the belt exhale or exert himself, the slidable member 36 may move toward the web portion 28 of the yoke 22 to permit a slight increase of the circumference or circular area of the belt I6 to accommodate such an exertion.

Although, as shown in the drawings, this belt buckle is applied between the ends of a belt in such a manner as to permit a slight increase in the circumference or circular area of the belt, it should be noted that the same may be applied between any two free ends of a length of Wire, rope, chain or the like, whereby the said element on which the present invention is applied will be adapted to expand or be stretched slightly.

In view of the foregoing descripiton taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the Same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehendedby'thespirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appendedV claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A belt buckle comprising an open, substan- Y Y tially rectangular frame, a tubular guide paralleling the longer sides of theY frame and having end portions integrally formed with theshorter sides of said frame, said guide having a longitudinal slot therein, a substantially L-shaped member having its longer leg received in said y guide for sliding movement, the shorterY leg of said L-shaped member being slidably received in said slot, a lip integrally formed with the shorter leg of said L-shaped member, a shoulder provided on the longer leg of said L-shaped member, a coil spring embracing the longer leg of said L-shaped member and biased between said shoul- 1 der and one side of said frame to urge said L-shaped member in one direction, and a substantially U-shaped guide having its leg por-` tions rigidly secured to said frame, the web of said U-shaped guide overlying and being spaced laterally from one side of said frame to dene a belt receiving opening.

2. 'A belt buckle comprising a belt engaging arm, a substantially U-shaped yoke having its end portions integrally formed with said arm, 3

a Vtubular guide integrally formed withthe web of said yoke and said arm, said guide being spaced between the legs of said yoke, said guide having an outer surface substantially coplanar wth one face of said yoke, a longitudinal guide slot provided in the outer surface of said guide, a Substantially L-Shaped member having its longer leg received in said guide for sliding -movement, the shorter leg of said Lshaped REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS the Number Name Date 1,463,904 MiX 1 Aug. 7, 1923 1,619,138 Kollstede Mar 1, 1927 1,659,705 Roehr Feb. 21, 1928 2,087,151 Hornberger July 13,' 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date France i Nov.^21f, 1932 

